Whose Vendetta?
by Brandi Heir
Summary: When Lalasa was attacked by Vinson, all we know is that she had trouble sleeping. What happpened between the time she confronted Vinson and went to bed?


Remember when Lalasa was attacked by Vinson? All we know is that after Kel went to the squire's wing to threaten Vinson, she had a hard time going to sleep. What happened between the time Kel confronted Vinson and before she went to bed?

Here's my take on it.

Hope everyone had a happy thanksgiving!

* * *

After Kel left the squire's wing, she returned to library. She doubted she could do her work now but she needed something to do so she wouldn't go and pound Vinson into the dirt. She contented herself with images of how she would rearrange his face. But the anger still boiled under her skin like a volcano. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been this angry. Vinson deserved a pounding, for hurting and scaring Lalasa like that.

She helped Merric through five problems in math before he felt confident enough to do it himself while Cleon and Faleron talked about the reports they were supposed to write and Iden, Warric, and Prosper picked Seaver's mind for a paper they needed to write about the Battle of 454 H.E. He fumbled a lot and made so many silly errors that she found herself wanting to slap him. She suppressed herself though. Merric didn't deserve the anger that was rightly meant for Vinson. Neal and Esmond also needed help so by the time she was able to get up and search for the book she needed to complete her report on the Tyran form of government, she was ready to scream.

_You are stone._ She told herself. Merric began to ask for her help. She shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. _A lake on a calm day. _

She coached him through one of the catapult and distance problems and left the table to search for that book. The Tyran section was far away so she hoped that no one would call for her help. She had worked her way near the table again and had her back to Neal as she pulled down a heavy tome to check the title.

"Kel?" She heard Owen ask. Her patience snapped. She slammed the book down on the counter above the cupboard that held the books they weren't allowed to view. Behind her, her friends jumped at the loud noise. They stared at her, shocked. Kel _never_ got angry.

"What?" She snarled. She wanted to go pound Vinson in the mud so badly she nearly settled for one of her friends instead.

"Um, Kel?" Neal began, cautiously, marking his page in his book as he got up out of his chair. "Are you okay?"

Kel considered lying to them and looking crazy but she didn't.

"No," she said, turning back to the shelf. "I'm not."

"Dear girl, we noticed." Cleon said dryly. When she turned her glare on him, he raised his hands in the air. "Just saying."

"Did something happen while you were gone?" Seaver asked, leaning away from her as if he was afraid she'd hit him. She sat down on her chair and stared moodily at the book.

"Everything happened." She growled. She was debating with herself internally. To pound Vinson or not to pound Vinson. It rubbed at her wrong that she couldn't defend Lalasa. When the book began to swim in her vision, she decided herself. "Damn." She cursed and got to her feet. "I'm going to pound him. I'm not going to sit here and do nothing."

Her friends exchanged looks as she marched out of the library. They scrambled to their feet after her. Iden, Warric, and Prosper were left behind, confused.

"Kel, wait up!" Esmond called. "Who are you going to pound?"

She reached the door to her room and yanked it open. Surprisingly, Lalasa wasn't there. Inwardly she was relieved. She hunted through her clothes for a clean pair of breeches and shirt as the boys gathered outside her door.

"Kel," Neal growled.

"Vinson." She said grimly. She waved a hand at them, and Neal, understanding, closed the door. She began to change as he shouted through the door.

"Why are you going to pound him?"

She didn't answer him as she pulled off her dress and tugged on her shirt. She didn't want to shout it out into the hallway.

"Kel…" He warned as she jerked her pants on.

She still didn't answer.

"Kel, I'm going to come in if you don't tell."

She finished tying her breeches and yanked open the door.

"When I don't answer, it's because I don't want the whole world to know." She scowled.

Neal leaned against the doorframe, blocking the way.

"I'm not moving until you tell." He warned. She blew out a breath, glaring, and with a mocking bow she had learned from him, gestured them into her room. When they were all in, she told them what had happened with Vinson and Lalasa.

"He was holding her against the wall so I kicked him then I slapped him twice. I thought he wouldn't want the smirch to his honor. He was more afraid then I thought." She snorted. "Some noble. I wanted to report it but Lalasa wouldn't let me. She said he would make her life a misery. I was going to not report him." She cracked her knuckles ominously. "But I'm not going to let him scare her like that. So I'm going to pound him after I insult him in front of everybody right now, when everyone's coming out of their rooms to go to the mess."

She turned on her heel and began to walk toward the entrance to the mess. Neal's hand closed around her arm before she got out of her room, yanking her to a stop.

"Kel, you can't challenge Vinson to a fight." He said calmly, hair flopping into his eyes. "Lalasa wouldn't want you to."

"And he's a squire. There's a big chance he'll beat you." Cleon pointed out.

"You're jolly good Kel, but this isn't such a smart idea." Owen agreed.

"I never said I was smart. Half of Tortall believes I'm crazy anyways, going for knighthood." She muttered angrily.

"We don't believe that." Seaver piped.

"Kel, just face it." Neal was annoyed now. "We're not going to let you fight him. You'd be breaking your promise."

She huffed and yanked her arm out of Neal's hold.

"Fine, I won't go challenge him." _Yet. _She added silently to herself.

Surprisingly, it was Faleron who swung the companionable yet restricting arm over her shoulder.

"Vinson isn't going to be at the mess any time soon and you're just going to wait for us to leave so you can go challenge him." He said winningly. "So, we'll kill two birds with one stone. You come with us to the mess and eat away your anger while Vinson wallows in self pity and probably hurts his face so he can go to a healer. Either way, he's inconvenienced enough without you beating him into the ground."

By then Kel's anger had mostly melted away. But she didn't want to admit he was right.

"Alright, alright." She grumbled halfheartedly. "I just wanted to pound on someone."

"Next time, Keladry," Neal said and grinned. "Instead of scaring us half to death by your anger, go pound something with your monster."

He turned and led the way out of the room. When he realized none of them were following him, he stopped.

"Well, what are waiting for? Let's go!"

Cleon and Faleron gave Kel a look.

"What did I do to deserve this?" She asked herself.

"You are you," Esmond smiled.

"It was a rhetorical question." She snapped and walked after Neal. Her friends stared at her retreating back.

"Well," Owen began cheerfully. "I know who I'm not making angry."


End file.
